Summer is flying by...

I feel like we have been so busy these last couple of weeks. Harrison had camp every day last week and loved it. It was a week all about dinosaurs. This week we have some activities planned during the day (free summer movie, open play at My Gym, playgroups, playdates, pool, errands) but primarily getting ready for my cousin's wedding on Saturday night and then leaving right after that for our trip to Las Vegas on Sunday. I.Can't.Wait! I'm so excited just to be able to read a book or magazine on the plane, sleep in, eat dinner without having to cut food up into little pieces, people watch to my heart's content-you get the drift. I LOVE my children deeply, but sometimes everyone needs a little break, even if it's just to appreciate them that much more.

We had a great, low-key weekend. It rained A LOT here (which we so desperately needed), but we did manage to hit the beach on Saturday morning. After this past weekend, it gets really packed with tourists here, so I really wanted to get to the beach before it got too crowded. On Sunday, I had a Charleston Junior Woman's Club Board retreat, which lasted most of the afternoon, but it did get me excited about our upcoming year and the charities we are supporting. It was held at a member's home (which was an incredibly beautiful home downtown Charleston-it was like a museum). All I kept thinking was my kids would destroy this place...she even had a child (granted a 3 year old girl, but still). Anyway, it was a potluck and I made Paula Deen's Better Than Sex Cake....it was pretty good. Here's the recipe....

Is it Really Better than Sex? Cake
Ingredients:
1 18.25-ounce box yellow cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 3.4-ounce box French vanilla pudding, plus ingredients to prepare
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup flaked, sweetened toasted coconut
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare yellow cake mix as directed using a greased 13x9x2-inch pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. While cake is baking, combine the pineapple, 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Remove cake from oven and using a fork, pierce holes into cake. Pour pineapple mixture over hot cake and set aside.
Prepare pudding according to package directions. Spread pudding over cake and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Whip heavy cream and remaining sugar until stiff. Cover top of cake with whipped cream and sprinkle toasted coconut on top.
Yield: 16 to 20 servings Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes Ease of preparation: easy
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen